1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flags and markers and, more particularly, to a distress indicia marker for signaling emergency situations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motor vehicles are equipped with numerous safety and indicator devices, such as lights, turn signals and horns. However, the only ‘emergency’ type of signaling device is a vehicle's “hazard lights”. Hazard lights are merely the front and rear signal lights of a vehicle that are activated in a distinctive blinking pattern. While intended to be used to alert other drivers of a problem, this signaling mechanism is merely a one-size-fits-all, generic signaling device that have no single intended meaning or use. Further, as shown in Table 1 below, according to the American Automobile Associations many jurisdictions do not allow the use of “hazard lights” on moving vehicles.
TABLE 1Permitted in Permitted only inall or mostNotemergency or hazardcasespermittedsituationsAlabamaAlaskaArizonaConnecticutColoradoArkansas(unless under 25 mph)Washington, DCFloridaCaliforniaGeorgiaHawaiiDelawareKentuckyIllinoisIdahoMichiganKansasIndianaMississippiLouisianaIowaMissouriMassachusettsMaineNebraskaNevadaMarylandNew HampshireNew JerseyMinnesotaNew YorkNew MexicoMontanaNorth CarolinaRhode IslandOhioNorth DakotaOklahomaOregonSouth CarolinaPennsylvaniaTennesseeSouth DakotaVirginiaTexasWashingtonUtahWest VirginiaVermontWisconsinWyoming
There are many situations in which a driver of a vehicle may wish to signal an urgent or emergency situation. By way of example, and not as a limitation, expectant parents on the way to a hospital, or private parties transporting people in life threatening situations to a medical facility, may wish to provide a warning indicator to other drivers or the police. Currently, the use of hazard lights in these situations is illegal in 12 states and ambiguous in all 50 states.
Also, in situations where a vehicle is stopped or stranded and the driver or passenger requires assistance, the use of hazard lights does not necessarily communication such a situation. Further, in extreme weather situations such as dangerous snowfall or flooding, a vehicle's hazard lights are usually no more than half way up the vertical height of the vehicle and would be covered and non-visible far sooner than desired or necessary.
Other emergency signaling devices that exist include a bright orange cone, or a chemical flair, or an orange and reflective triangular traffic warning sign, all of which are intended to be placed between approaching traffic and a stopped vehicle.
All such devices, however, merely provide visibility to oncoming traffic, and do nothing to alert first responders or other to the presence of an exigent circumstance. Further, such devices are not attachable to the vehicle itself and therefor can be subject to being lost, moved or confused relevant to a target vehicle.
Consequently, a need exists for a distress indicator for attachment to vehicles that provides the signaling of an emergency or the need for assistance.